Bruce Ucán

Herberto Rosendo “Bruce” Ucán Ake grew up in a small, Mayan village in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. More accustomed to hearing his parents speak Maya than Spanish and to eating food cooked over a wood fire than a stove, his cultural and culinary roots run deep. At a young age, he began working in the kitchens of Mexican resorts - a move motivated by economic necessity and not without a few challenges as he adapted dishes to tourists’ like - after all, who’s to know if bacon goes on the top of a club sandwich or the bottom?

In 1987, Ucán moved to the United States, and his love of cooking took firm hold in Louisville. After working his way to Executive Chef in local restaurants like Timothy’s, the desire to control his own destiny and to cook the food he wanted to cook, took over. He bought a van and took off selling food. First, he sold American dishes – hot dogs, barbeque chicken, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf. When some Mexican workers at a construction site came up to his window asking for tacos, he got creative. He had tortillas in the van plus that meatloaf… beef tacos! Quickly his concept changed, and he began cooking food from his homeland. Louisvillians from all walks of life started to take notice - to drive after his bright blue van in hopes of buying savory salbutes, omelets, or tortas.

By 1997, Bruce had enough fans to park his van and open the Mayan Gypsy. For nearly ten years, his restaurant flourished, and his skills as a chef and entrepreneur were refined. In 2007, with the help of his wife, Christina, and her sister, Anne, Bruce launched the Mayan Cafe. This latest restaurant, a four star success, incorporates the full spectrum of Bruce’s experiences. He invites you to taste a bit of his life’s journey.